Family Is Everything
by Nicole The Dragon Rider
Summary: Rachel reflects on her life especially when it comes to to her high school years and how she fall in love with Quinn and everything that happens afterwards including her adoptive daughters Beth Santana. How it all came to be? How Santana came into their lives, changing it forever. Faberry, kid Brittana
1. Chapter 1

Family Is Everything ch. 1

Puck is a girl in this one and there will be another chapter to wrap this up

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The day that our daughter Santana walked into our lives was the day that our family was truly felt complete and whoever send her our way, I'm eternally grateful because I never thought that I love a little girl more than I did her. It all began that morning and it started like any other morning in the Berry-Fabray household with me waking up in my stunningly beautiful wife's arms as I didn't want to get up because I was too comfortable but I knew that I had to get ready for rehearsals.

Where are my manners? My name is Rachel Berry-Fabray but it's just Rachel Berry while I'm on stage because I'm actress on Broadway and a very successful one at that as I am very fortunate to be married to one of the most beautiful woman in the world who is my entire world. There's so many things that I love about Quinn that it's hard to just pick thing that I like about the most over the others but I love is amazing hazel eyes that feels like that they're looking into my very soul closely followed by her blonde hair that reaches past her shoulder blades that I love running my fingers through.

Myself and the writer has had a rather rocky past as you see, she was the head Cheerio, Celibacy President, and the HBIC and I was the Glee Club captain so naturally we didn't get along but I wanted so badly to be her friend because she was everything that I wanted to be. Popular, beautiful, and she had the quarterback boyfriend and I always thought that I was jealous of her but looking back, I was truly jealous of Finn because he had her and yet he was too stupid to see what he really had but I'm glad that he was an idiot.

The writer was hiding a huge secret that she made sure that no one ever found out about but it all came crashing down around her in the form of Noelle Puckerman, the resident female stud and self proclaimed sex shark, who was throwing a party where she had gotten drunk off of wine coolers before taking her up to her room for intercourse. The end result was the fact that Noelle end up pregnant with Quinn's baby which was the reveal of the secret that she had been so careful to hide all of this years that she was an intersex with a fully functional penis, sending her reputation pummeling fast than a meteor.

A lot people that the writer once called friends turned their backs on her and her family kicked her out of her home without a second thought as she was forced to move in with her baby's mother's family and look for a job to help pay for the incoming baby as I couldn't help but feel bad for her. I know that we haven't been on the best of terms no one deserves to go through something like that and I knew that Quinn was going to need a friend in her trying times and I have offered my services to her on multiple occasions only to have them rebuffed by said girl but if I am one thing if not persistent as I wasn't about to let her go through this alone.

The writer eventually learned that I wasn't going anywhere and I was going to be by her side whether she wanted me to be or not but I never counted on falling so in love with the girl nor the growing life inside but I did and I don't regret any of it. When Beth Fabray finally arrived into the world right after our performance at Regionals and I have to say that I've never seen a more beautiful baby in that moment as I knew that I was goner as that little girl will have me wrapped her little finger in no time but it was a difficult time as well.

Noelle didn't make it to see Beth grow up because she slipped away due to complications during childbirth and the writer took it incredibly hard as she had a hard time adjusting to single parenthood as Mrs. Fabray got divorced Mr. Fabray because he was cheating on her with some tattooed freak and wanted to be a better mother to her daughter. That summer I didn't see Quinn at all that summer but I was a great terms with the other Fabray woman as I spent a lot of time in the Fabray household with Beth and when the writer finally returned to school, she was completely different from the girl that I once knew.

She came back to McKinley with her once blonde hair dyed pink, a nose piercing, a tongue piercing (don't ask how I know about that), punk rock clothes, smoking cigarettes (luckily not around Beth), and nastier attitude than before. I don't know what happened over the summer but Quinn was a lot colder and closed off than before as she started hanging out with the Skanks, doing illegal things that I don't know about and I think she gotten a tattoo of gold stars on her right hip as well as Beth on her inner wrist.

I tried as hard as I could to be strong for both Quinn and Beth because the both of them needed in different way and there was no way that I was going to let either one of them down because I care too much about them as it went on for months before I finally wore her until she finally let me in. The writer never truly gotten over Noelle's death but I reassured her that this isn't want she would've want for either of them and she just break down in my arms, apologizing for everything that she had done and naturally I forgave her as well as making her promise to talk to me about whatever is bothering her.

The two of us grew stronger with each passing day and Beth getting bigger as well as with endless amount of energy to spare with it seeming like she couldn't sit still long enough to do anything but I love that little girl with all of my heart. I'm not surprised that I can't say no to her but when she pouts, I can resists giving her everything and anything that she asks of me even through Quinn hates that I'm so weak-willed when it comes to her but I can't help it.

We graduated before moving New York for college but I went to NYADA while the writer went to Yale for a degree in English Literature and I didn't want to apart from her nor Beth who'll be back in Lima with her grandmother but she promised that we'll keep in touch, surprising me with Metro passes for the both of us. True to her word, we did keep in touch as we visited each other at the other prospective college on the weekend as well as going home to visit family for the holidays and the youngest Fabray has gotten bigger than the last time that saw her which is incredible was you can only tell so much from pictures and Skype.

During my years at NYADA, I have gotten to do a few off Broadway shows with Quinn at my opening to every single one of them and the last one that I remember going she had brought Beth with her surprising me greatly before asking me to go out with her which I agreed. We dated over the course of five years after graduating from our colleges with degrees in our perspective fields as I got a chance to play the role of Fanny Brice for the Funny Girl revival which was a dream come true and obviously I nailed the role and I would like to think that Barbra would be proud of me.

Quinn had gotten a internship at publishing company while writing a book based on her life and I was lucky enough to be able to read it as well out my own input into it before showing it to her boss who had taking a immediate and immense liking to it, deciding to publish it. It was an instant success and during the celebratory dinner that we were having to celebrate her accomplishment, I was surprised when she pulled a engagement ring out of her jacket pocket and I could tell that the normally confident woman was incredibly nervous as she fumbled over her words but I cut off with a kiss.

Our friends and family couldn't anymore happy for us and the wedding was beautiful with Beth being an amazing little flower girl as our parents gave us a week long trip to Jamaica even though I was unsure about leaving our daughter for that long but my now wife reassured me that she'll be fine for that amount of time. Jamaica was incredible even through we didn't leave our room much as it seems that we couldn't keep our hands off of each other but when we did leave the room to do a little sighting and I look forward to coming back to this beautiful paradise before returning back to New York with Beth moving in with us in our home that we brought together.

The six year old was loving the Concrete Jungle and thriving in it leaving me to think about the next step that I want to take but I wasn't sure how Quinn would react to it but after being together for so long she knew that something was on my mind and immediately asked what was on my mind. I revealed that I wanted to legally adopt Beth and I wanted to know what she thought about it as she just kisses me on the lips, saying that we should get the paperwork started.

Within a few months, Beth was my daughter in every sense of the word and it's been six years since then I love her more than word could ever express as our lives is filled with an abundance of love as Quinn is a on her fifth novel and I'm coming off the Revival of RENT as Joanna but I can't help but like something is missing from our little family. Kurt and Blaine had adopted a little eight year old girl by the name of Brittany and she's so cute as I knew that the two will make great parents even through she's a little on the ditzy side but she's shockingly intuitive and has an endless amount of energy as the writer and I often baby-sits her when both of her parents have to work. Quinn and I were lying on the couch, feeling completely spent after babysitting Brittany and wonder where in the world, the little girl gets that much energy from but I love the little girl as I rest my head on my wife's lap sighing in content as her nail lightly scratches my scalp.

"Quinn?"

"Yeah babe" Quinn hums.

"What do you think about having another child?"

Quinn's hand stops as she looks down at me with a surprised look on her face then she raises a eyebrow at me as I sit up to fully face her but I don't know what's going in her mind although I need to know what she thinks. The writer runs her hand through her hand though her hair sighing softly as she looks away from me but I can see the sad look on face as I reach out to cup her face, gently turning it so she's looking in the eyes to the doubt and fear in those beautiful hazel green eyes that I love so much.

"What's going on in that beautiful mind of yours?" I asked running my thumb along her cheek.

"I'm afraid" Quinn whispers.

"Of what?" I asked confused.

"Of our kid turning out like that me"

"Would that be so bad?" I asked raising an eyebrow. "You're one of the smartest and kindest person that I have ever met"

"No, I meant being born an intersex. If it's a boy then it wouldn't matter but if it's a girl that there's a possibility that she'll go through what I did and that scares me. I got lucky that Beth turned out to be normal" Quinn said sighing.

"Quinn listen to me, if we do have daughter that happens to be an intersex then she'll know that she'll have so much love that she'll won't know what to do with . She'll have you to explain everything that she needs to and she'll have her big sister looking out for her" I said smiling.

"I love you Rachel" Quinn said letting out a watery laugh.

"I love you too Quinn" I said kissing her on the lips.

"I guess that we better get started then" Quinn said scooping me up in her arms.

"Quinn" I squealed.

It was maybe two weeks after the baby conversation that our lives would change forever as the night that we came back from Beth's soccer game that I heard something like a crash coming from the kitchen. I wiped the sleep out of my eyes to look at the clock on the nightstand to see that it's three in the morning and I immediately assumed that someone had broken to rob us as I shake Quinn awake to investigate the sound as she quickly put on a pair of sweatpants since she likes wearing only a tank top and boxers to bed.

The writer grabs the bat that she keeps in the closet just incase something like this happens as she cautiously walk out of the bedroom and into the living room with me following close behind her because I wanted to know who's in our home but what we found in our kitchen was what I least expected. Instead of burglar or some other criminal of that nature, it was a little girl around the same age as Brittany but with raven locks down to her shoulder blades, brown eyes filled with fear, tanned skin with two small scars on her left eyebrow as I took in her appearance.

She was on the small side for an eight year old like she hadn't been feed in days, her clothes were ratty and there was holes in several days and it look like that was staying conscious by sheer will power as she leans against the wall for support as a broken jar of pickles lays at her feet. Before either of us could say anything, the girl bolted for the door in an attempt to escape but Quinn cut her off before she could get there then she ran back to the kitchen, running into my legs then falling onto the floor, cutting her hand and other parts of her body on the broken pieces of glass as she pushes herself into the wall to get away from either of us. I knew that I needed to dress her wounds but more than anything I needed her to calm down but she makes her sick from hyperventilating as I slowly bent down in front of her, gently taking the small girl's face in my own as she looks me in the eyes.

"I need you to catch my breathing or you'll make yourself sick, okay Sweetie"

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry" She repeats over and over again

"I know you are but I need you to match my breathing. In and out"

She nods before doing what I ask of her, getting breathing under control as Quinn returns with the first aid kit and I pulled out the peroxide, tweezers and Band-Aids then getting to work on cleaning the girl up. I could tell that she's fighting to stay awake as she jolts awake every time she finds herself falling asleep as the writer cleans up the rest of the kitchen and I look up with a look and she knew what I was thinking, sighing softly to herself but doesn't say anything. This girl is in some kind of trouble and I can't just stand by idly knowing that I could've prevented it, noticing that she had fallen asleep at some moment as I finish bandaging her wound.

"Sweetie? Sweetie, I need you to wake up"

"Santana" She mutters.

"My name's Santana" Santana said rubbing her eyes sleepily.

"Well Santana, it's late and I'm more that sure that you're very sleepy. Do you want to stay here for the night?"

Santana gives me a half committed nod, snuggling into the wall that she was resting against before scooping her in my arms then heading to Quinn and I shared bedroom before looking through of Beth old pajama that might fit the sleeping girl in my arms. I found the old T-Rex footie pajamas that she can't fit anymore before giving Santana a warm bath but it was a little difficult to do with her struggling to into the tub but after so coaxing from me and the writer, she lets me give her a bath before putting on her pajamas. _Something must've happened if she's this afraid of water. Where are her parents? What's her home life? Isn't someone out there looking for her?_ I placed the eight year old on the bed in-between the two of us as she snuggles into my chest and it wasn't long before she fell asleep once again as the writer looks at me.

"What are we going to do with her?"

"I don't know Quinn but she has to stay with us" I said running my hand through Santana's hair.

"Rachel" Quinn tries.

"Quinn, I know what you're thinking but she's just a little girl and we can't just abandon her but I feel a connection with her"

"Rachel, you don't know anything about this girl" Quinn said frowning.

"Even so but I know in my heart that she's meant to be with us" I said taking her hand in mine.

Quinn didn't look convinced as I look at her with a pout on my face and it wasn't long before she gives into me, running her hand through her hair defeated.

"Fine but we look for her parents" Quinn said serious.

"Okay" I said grinning before kissing her on the lips.

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 ** _~Nicole The Dragon Rider signing off_**

End of ch. 1


	2. Chapter 2

Family Is Everything ch. 2

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I know that Quinn was rather hesitant about Santana at first all those years ago but now their relationship is incredibly strong as the two are more like in ways that sometimes that it borderlines on creepy. They're both are pretty useless in the morning but that much could be said for the Fabray-Berry women with me and Beth being the exception to that rule as my wife would said that we get up at the ass-crack of dawn but we like getting an early start on the morning although I do like my beauty sleep. When Beth found out about Santana that morning she broke into our kitchen, she taken on the role of being the younger girl's big sister/role model as she took the Latina under her wing without question or being prompted to.

It seems that the fourteen year old like having a someone to look up to her and having someone to show off her cheerleading moves to as it seems that Santana has a knack for the sport, mimicking everything that the older girl showed her. The cheerleader-in-training was a bit slow to open up to us but in the four months that she stayed with us, she managed to come around especially around one young Brittany who I still baby-sit on a occasion and the two are inseparable, always having their pinkies linked. I have yet to figure out why she would get so scared around bath time every night and begged with tears coming down her face not to give her a bath. Every time I would ask her about it, Santana would clam up and sink further into herself, spring another bout of tears and there were the nightmares would come ever other night as she would scream while tossing and turning, muttering for someone to stop hurting her and her Mami.

Either myself or Quinn would stay with her until she was able to go back to sleep but would never say anything about the dream or was hurting her and I asked her about her family and her life before coming to us, she would get really quiet and fidgety then tears would come forth. I don't know what to do about any of this but I think that taking her to a child psychologist would be the best course of action and the writer back me up on this because the nightmares are increasing in frequency but what we didn't know was that it wouldn't be long before we would find out the cause behind all of this.

It came after we enrolled Santana in school and her teacher came to us saying that she was approached a strange man as it seems that she knew him but the security guard escorted him off of the property although the damage had already been done. It took Quinn and I hours to calm down a very distressed eight year old and almost two days for us to find out that the man was her father. Being a snoop as my friends often me but in case, I'm being a very concerned parent who wants to her daughter safe, finding out that the name of the man is Carlos Lopez before taking this information to Finn and Noah who are policemen.

It turns out that he's not good man all means as he has a rap sheet consisting in domestic violence, possession of legal firearms, possession and selling of narcotics, credit card frauds and the list goes on as it's beyond me how this man isn't behind bar yet again. I'm afraid of what Carlos might do to Santana if he ever figures out where she is and more often than not, it leaves me wide awake at night hoping and praying that nothing comes of this until one night comes into our room a little after midnight, crawling into our bed. For some time she doesn't say anything but I know that she has something on her mind but can't verbally express herself, just like her mother she's like an onion and you have to peel her back one layer at a time before snuggling into my chest.

"Mama?"

"Yes baby" I said running my hand through her hair.

"I know that it's wrong to a break a promise but what if the promise that I'm keeping is hurting that person and I'm just… I don't know what to do"

"Baby if this promise is hurting someone than you need to tell us and we can help" Quinn said rubbing Beth's back.

"I… I know why San's so afraid of water but I promised that I wouldn't tell you. Her Dad used to put fill the tub up with water before putting in it, forcing her head under it until she would almost pass out, yelling at her for being bad and that it was her fault that for every little thing" Beth said as the tears roll down her cheeks.

Beth told us everything that Carlos has done to Santana as he would force her to help him steal from people's houses and has been a few times when he had traded her to drug dealers for narcotics but somehow he manages to steal her back from said men. _There's no way in hell that I will ever allow my daughter be in the clutches of that evil man ever again if I could help it. Now more than ever I want to be there for her, making sure that she's well taken care of and loved._ I know that Quinn feels the same and we knew what our step was going to be but there's one small detail that we need to take care of first which we should have done awhile ago and this Saturday seem like a perfect opportunity to put our plan into action.

The whole day spent it as a family having picnic in Central Park before going on a treasure hunt around the city as Beth and Santana worked together to figure out the clue that the writer and I put together before going to the planetarium. The look of awe on my youngest daughter's face was worth it and it was great call on the writer's part as she's enamored in what the tour guide was saying, hanging on every word until we came into another part of the museum where all of the constellations are display of the roof of the room. It was hard to pull her from that room before coming home and ordering take out when the both of us decided that it was time to bring up a certain subject that we've put off for too long.

"Santana" I said getting her attention.

She looks up at me as she puts a pot-sticker in mouth chewing slowly, looking between Quinn and myself with a curious look on her and she takes my hand in hers then I take in a deep breath.

"You have been staying with us for awhile now and we love having you here. We have been thinking about making some changes around here" I said smiling.

"D-Do you want me to leave?" Santana asked fearful.

"What? No! Sweetie, what I mean is that we want to some changed around here so you'll feel more comfortable" I said reassuringly.

"What Rachel's trying to say is that we want to ask how would you feel about being a part of our family" Quinn stepping in.

"I thought that I was already a part of this family" Santana said raising an eyebrow.

"You are but we want to make a more permanent thing" I said giggling.

"Is this something that you would want?" Quinn asked raising an eyebrow.

"Yeah, there's no where that I would rather be than here" Santana said grinning.

We made it official but Carlos did everything in his power to keep his own on Santana but the judge saw fit that she was better off with us and information that he received about the abuse that our daughter undergone was enough to put him away for a long time. Five years after that, I've never been more thankful for joy that our younger daughter brought to our lives and it wasn't easy because now she's going through her teen years, becoming moodier and thinking that everything that Quinn and I do is so lame but she's coming into her own. Santana's on the cheerleading team with Brittany who are still inseparable from each other and I know that it's only a matter of time before they finally admit their feelings for each other but my wife stops me every time I want to help them more their relationship along, 'saying' it's something that they have to figure out for themselves. We're currently lying on our bed, watching tv and cuddling when our youngest walks, proceeding to put herself between the both of us without a word as my mother's intuition tells me that there's something that she wants to talk to us about.

"Ma, Mom"

"Yes baby girl, what's on your mind?" Quinn asked pushing a lock of hair behind Santana's ear.

"I love you guys" Santana said smiling softly.

"We love you too" I said kissing her on the forehead.

"So… can I get a little sister?" Santana asked out of nowhere.

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 ** _~Nicole The Dragon Rider signing off_**

The End


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